Five jailed up to 19 years for forcing Moroccan women into prostitution

“Pearl was accused of being the gang leader as he owns the Dream Disco Pub on the fourth floor of the Zenith Hotel where the four victims were forced into prostitution from October 2016 to March 2017.”

A 46 year old Australian has been sentenced to 19 years imprisonment by the Criminal Court, and a Syrian, two Thais and a Moroccan to 16 years imprisonment, for forcing four Moroccans into prostitution at a Bangkok pub.

The court read its verdict in the human trafficking case against 46 year old Michael Pearl, a Sudanese-born Australian, 37 year old Ghassan Wakej, a Syrian, 63 year old Chalad Narachan, 46 year old Aree Iamsaree and 38 year old Hana Taoyuree (unofficial spelling), a Moroccan, yesterday morning.

They were charged with violating the anti-human trafficking act, prostitution suppression act and the Criminal Code.

Pearl was accused of being the gang leader as he owns the Dream Disco Pub on the fourth floor of the Zenith Hotel where the four victims were forced into prostitution from October 2016 to March 2017.

Taoyuree was charged with luring and smuggling the four fellow Moroccan women into Bangkok via Laos by promising them job as waitresses, but they instead ended up being forced into prostitution. The two Thai men and the Syrian were charged with detaining and assaulting the four victims to force them into prostitution.

After the four victims were rescued, two left the Kingdom to return to Morocco, while the two others remained as state witnesses. The five defendants were released on bail by posting a 300,000 baht cash guarantee. They came to hear the verdict on Wednesday morning.

Zenith Hotel in Sukhumvit, Bangkok

The court ruled that the five lacked strong evidence to dispute the charges against them and relied on their own accounts, while the public prosecutors had strong evidence and accounts from the victims.

The court found each of the five defendants breached two counts of the Criminal Code and were given two years term for each count, or four years. Each of the five defendants were also given six years in prison for breaching each of two counts of the anti-human trafficking act, or 12 years.

Since the Australian owned the pub, he was also convicted of violating the prostitution suppression act by soliciting others for sex services. He was given an additional three years for this conviction. Pearl was given a total of 19 years in jail, while the others got 16 years.

25 workers injured after container explosion at Laem Chabang Port

At least 25 port workers have been injured and locals evacuated after an explosion in a container on a ship at dock at the Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri, east of Bangkok, this morning.

Laem Chabang’s port director Vice Admiral Yutthana Mokkhao says an urgent investigation is being undertaken to determine the contents of the container. The Hong Kong ship was docked at A2 port, according to the director.

Scores of port employees were working in the area around 8am this morning when the explosion occurred. The explosion sent clouds of an unknown white power into the air as well as black smoke from the fire.

It was reported that at least 25 of the workers were sent to a nearby hospital after being exposed to the white powder. Workers remaining at the scene were seen dousing their faces with water to wipe off the mystery powder.

Motorbike rider dies near Rama 5 bridge in Nonthaburi

A motorbike rider has died following an incident near the Rama 5 road bridge in Nonthaburi yesterday. The Honda CBR 650 was unrecognisable following the crash, both wheels had been ripped off in the collision.

An orange bike helmet was on the road nearby. The head of the rider was found some distance away. The torso of the rider was also badly injured. The deceased rider was identified as 18 year old Athiphak from Lam Lukka, Pathum Thani.

Witnesses told police that he had just exited the bridge heading towards Bang Sri Muang when he lost control, catapulted off the bike and hit a road sign.

IKEA Thailand launches full online store

“…it took IKEA about two years to study the market demand, develop the infrastructure, and prepare everything before launching their e-commerce service in Southeast Asia.”

by Kwanchai Rungfapairsarn

IKEA Thailand has announced the official launch of its IKEA Online Store as it gets set to better provide for individual customers across the Kingdom.

IKEA Thailand say the seamless online shopping experience will offer the same journey and impression customers get when they visit a physical IKEA store.

“We see the potential – it is a potential in Thailand for IKEA. We have only been accessible within Bangkok so far, and now we will be accessible for people from across the country,” Lacia Sherlock, the deputy retail manager for Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, said.

“The delivery prices need to be affordable and all the services need to be accessible for consumers living outside of Bangkok, so that they are able to get the assembly or whatever they need.”

IKEA has developed the full e-commerce platform for modern shoppers providing a convenient channel to access it products and inspirations, 24 hours a day and from anywhere in Thailand.

Sherlock said it took IKEA about two years to study the market demand, develop the infrastructure, and prepare everything before launching their e-commerce service in Southeast Asia.

“We aim to provide an impressive online shopping experience similar to the shopping experience customers get when visiting our physical stores. The online store has been available in Singapore and Malaysia within Southeast Asia.”

“We are pleased to now be able to provide this access to Thais. We have been wanting to do this for a long time, along with providing them with a superior experience and inspiration through both of our two Bangkok stores,” said Sherlock.

IEA soft-launched its e-commerce service in Thailand on March 26 in order to test the system and procedures and ensure they were fully functional before yesterday’s official launch.

“We are looking at achieving 17,000 online orders this year. We believe that the IKEA Online Store will help strengthen IKEA Thailand and drive sustainable growth, as our popular in-store shopping experience is complemented by our new online offering.”

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